


Leading to Now

by Destiel_Sabriel4eva



Series: Harry Potter One-Shots [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Internal Conflict, Internal Monologue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13895688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiel_Sabriel4eva/pseuds/Destiel_Sabriel4eva
Summary: Severus Snape's thoughts as he hesitates to raise his wand against McGonagall





	Leading to Now

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a post on Pinterest about Severus hesitating during Deathly Hallows when Harry confronts him about Dumbledore and then he has to duel with McGonagall. This is just my thoughts on what might have been going through his head.

**The moment Snape has to raise his wand against McGonagall in Deathly Hallows…and hesitates.**

 

**Harry shouts at him, telling them the truth, daring him to say otherwise, and he can’t.**

**Minerva McGonagall steps in front of him, and for Severus, time stops.  Stops as he realises,** ‘ _My entire life has been leading to now.  Leading to the moment where I raise my wand against a respected Professor for the second time, what she must think, what they all must._ ’ **He sees Slughorn in the background,** ‘ _My old head of house, I suppose to him I_ _’_ _m just another student gone bad.  How many he must have seen go down this path, how many_ I _have seen with the same fate._ ’ **He focuses on Harry,** ‘ _I have to protect him.  Save him because I failed to save Lily.  That_ _’_ _s why this has happened, that_ _’_ _s why he_ _’_ _s back and the war has continued.  I betrayed her, I killed her, I killed them all.  This is on me._ ’ **He looks to McGonagall once more,** ‘ _My choices have all been leading to this moment.  Where I wish I weren_ _’_ _t about to raise my wand again.  But I caused this, I must stop it, no matter what it does to me.  This is my penance.  Not my death, but this.  What they all must think of me.  What Lily must._ ’  **Severus raises his wand,** ‘ _And they_ _’_ _re all right._ ’


End file.
